Vintage Gillette...me likey!

SmallYetDeadly

SmallYetDeadly

Brotherhood of Fanbois
Joined
Jun 10, 2011
I got my first vintage Gillette TTO yesterday (Thanks Mark! )

UK made Rocket HD, not sure on the date Mark might be able to add it. I'm figuring it's around '57ish looking at the Rocket guide at TSD. Definitely lighter than my Merkur HD but still a substantial, solid feeling device. Not sure what the TTO is supposed to feel like but it worked smoothly, felt robust and Mark tells me it is in good order. A quality piece all round.

Gave it a wash down and sterilise and had at a couple days growth with a fresh Derby. I guess some of the loading functionality of the TTO units is compromised due to the way the blades are packaged these days but it is still an easy and safe process.

I bowl lathered with MWF and a squeeze of Godrej rich foam. A little bit of feeling awkward until I got the angle right...wow! Just mowed those whiskers down, the blade feels like it is held very rigid by the head. The Derby felt smoother in this head than in the Merkur. 3 passes and a touch up around the chin and I had a very good close shave. My moustache area was the best ever I think! One of my best shaves.

Anyhoo just thought I would share. Really looking forward to trying this razor with some different blades. Astra SP would be awesome if the razor smooths it out a bit more.

This is not helping my RAD...anyone got a nice user grade Slim they want to move on....:D
 
The Slim will only light the Adjustable RAD fire in your belly. I believe there have never been a better all-round DE razor produced.

I also want to grab a Mergress but they are bloody expensive.
 
The slim looks like the best of the adjustable bunch to me...and maybe a super in birth year/quarter just for giggles...and... uh oh :laugh:

I read so much mixed review on the Merkur adjustables so I'm a bit wary of those atm.
 
Slim is the goods for post ww2 gillettes.


Seriously though gillette had two different shaped heads, the first one was 'rounder', early superspeeds (1940s to late 50s), fatboy US aristocrats etc. Then they had a lower profile head for the slim, later super speeds and all the plastic stuff. Personal preference for me, go 60s, or go 30s.

My favourite gillette vintages are the 1920s NEW improved, 1930s NEW and the 1960s slim adjustable. I even had better shaves with the similar head plastic slim twists over the 1940s superspeed, aristocrats, rockets etc. Personal preference and all that, the lower profile TTOs from the 1960s is better for people used to 2 piece or 3 piece razors, as they have the flatter profile head too
 
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I find the later, 'slim' profile head easier to deal with under the nose area, but I usually got only XTG on my upper lip in any case (angled in towards the centre) as it assures me that I will not miss a hair or two under my nostril :blink:

That said, the Fatboy has been my axe of choice in the last month, don't know why but it seems to be the one I reach for.

I will be moving my current slim on in the near future, it is definitely user grade and has a slight blade gap issue at one end of one side, but nothing that has ever affected me at all. I will be getting another one to replace it first though, I like my cased one too much to shave with it I think.
 
The New is pretty aggressive with an open comb Pablo? I think it's the NEW improved has the nice diamond pattern on the handle?

The Fatboy is too rich for my blood although one did go on Aussie ebay yesterday pretty cheap. Looked like it had been used for putting in tent pegs though from what I could see.
 
Mate - glad you liked the HD - it is a great razor.

'anyone got a nice [insert name and condition of razor] they want to move on'

Well, now you mention it....... :D
 
Mark1966 said:
Mate - glad you liked the HD - it is a great razor.

'anyone got a nice [insert name and condition of razor] they want to move on'

Well, now you mention it....... :D
Click to expand...


Shave #2 with the HD, confident to have a lash at some blade buffing now I've got the angle down. Best shave...EVER!! Even the wife was impressed. That is all :cool:
 
Just an update...

Rocket HD & Feather = Boom!

Fantastic Combo. Great shaves.

I really must get around to trying my Slim.
 
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